OSU basketball fans show support for football players

Wrapped in a cocoon of film study, national title preparation and a surprise for LSU, Jim Tressel let his players get out a little Saturday. They didn’t go far — just across the street.

Todd Porter

Wrapped in a cocoon of film study, national title preparation and a surprise for LSU, Jim Tressel let his players get out a little Saturday. They didn’t go far — just across the street.

Ohio State’s football team was introduced during the men’s basketball game Saturday at Value City Arena, and the thunderous roar that greeted them was the reminder the players needed.

Certainly, OSU fans are proud, but they’re also expecting the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes to return to Columbus with the national championship trophy this time.

“When you practice so long alone, you forget about the multitude of people that have been with you all along and appreciate you,” Tressel said. “That’s the fun of getting to the bowl site. You see all the people who travel there. ... It reminds you how fortunate you are to be in a situation like this.”

That was about as reminiscent as Tressel got Saturday, four days before Ohio State leaves for the BCS National Championship Game against LSU. The Buckeyes will have one more rigorous full-contact practice Monday, cross their fingers they remain healthy, then head off to the Big Easy for their toughest task of the season.

There was a brief moment Saturday when Tressel might have appreciated the round of applause from fans.

“We haven’t done a whole bunch of fruits of our labors stuff,” Tressel said. “We’ve been focused on watching LSU. We’re going to have to labor a lot to compete with LSU. Those things are for reunions.”

In the middle of bowl practice, Tressel gave LSU something to think about: Antonio Henton.
For the first time, Tressel acknowledged that Henton would be the team’s No. 2 quarterback for the national title game.

The redshirt freshman hasn’t played since Sept. 22 against Northwestern. He was suspended for seven games after being arrested for soliciting an undercover female officer. Last month, Henton pled to a misdemean¬or count of loitering for solicitation.

Since the end of the regular season, second-team quar¬terback Rob Schoenhoft moved to tight end and has played a scout team role there. Tressel said Saturday that Schoenhoft would move back to quarterback in the spring.

At 6-foot-6, 244 pounds, Schoenhoft easily could make the transition to tight end. Henton has been taking second-team snaps exclusively.

“As we looked at ourselves and trying to work both a No. 2 and No. 3 quarterback, we didn’t see the progression we needed,” Tressel said. “You better go in with two quarterbacks ready, especially in a big game. We thought it would be hard to get three guys reps.”

It appears that Henton’s role will be something more than just a backup. Though, Tressel could be filtering misinformation to make LSU coaches prepare for a facet of Ohio State’s offense it may not even see.

Then again, the athletic Henton could play in the Jan. 7 game without Boeckman being hurt.

“We’d like to think that’s something we could do. We’re preparing for that,” Tressel said. “You’d like to have the bonus to have a change of pace. That’s the intention of all practices to have a second guy ready.”

Had Henton not been suspended in the middle of the season, it is a move the Buckeyes might have made months ago.

“He was coming along and had an unfortunate situation and lost privileges for seven games,” Tressel said. “Exactly what would’ve happen in those seven games, I don’t know. The last one he played in, like 20 snaps, he played pretty well.”

Washington is a go

Despite reports that starting defensive back Donald Washington would be suspended for the bowl game along with backup defensive Eugene Clifford, Tressel said Washington was never close to losing eligibility.

Defensive end Lawrence Wilson has been practicing as he tries to recover from a broken leg suffered early in the season, but Tressel said he doesn’t think Wilson will be able to play against LSU.

“If the game were today, he wouldn’t play,” Tressel said.

Other than Wilson, everyone who is expected to play is healthy.

“Knock on wood,” Tressel said, “we have a good one on Monday coming, then we really get into game week mode.”